Anise was left with the rear, which she wasn’t about to complain about. If they came across enemies on their path, the others were better at close-range combat. As they walked, though, she occasionally pointed her flashlight at the path behind them, making sure they weren’t being followed.

When Claude brought their attention to something on the ground, Anise looked down, too. “Do you think they were running mine carts through here?” It reminded her of some of the mine tunnels she and her friends had been through on their travels. Maybe the tunnel led to a mining site, a port, or a town or something. Whatever it was, it had to be better than the institute.